Procol Harum singer wins full royalty rights for A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Telegraph Procol Harum singer wins full royalty rights for A Whiter Shade Of Pale Matthew Fisher 10:48AM BST 04 Apr 2008 The lead singer of Procol Harum has won a court battle to reclaim full royalty rights to the group's worldwide hit A Whiter Shade Of Pale. Gary Brooker, 62, appealed after Matthew Fisher, the musician who contributed the organ music to the song, won a High Court ruling that he was entitled to 40 per cent of the musical copyright. The song, which sold 10 million copies and became one of the anthems of the 1967 summer of love, still earns substantial royalties for the owners of the copyright - originally Mr Brooker and the lyric writer, Keith Reid. However, Mr Fisher, 60, claimed a half share from Mr Brooker. He was awarded 40 per cent by Mr Justice Blackburne in the High Court in 2006 because the judge found that although Mr Fisher's contribution was "substantial", it was not as great as that of the singer.

Mr Brooker appealed, and the Court of Appeal ruled by a majority that although Mr Fisher was entitled to co-authorship, he should not receive any royalties from the song. Related Articles Procol Harum | Biography & History | AllMusic google+ Artist Biography by Bruce Eder Procol Harum is arguably the most successful "accidental" group creation -- that is, a band originally assembled to take advantage of the success of a record created in the studio -- in the history of progressive rock. With "A Whiter Shade of Pale" a monster hit right out of the box, the band evolved from a studio ensemble into a successful live act, their music built around an eclectic mix of blues-based rock riffs and grand classical themes. With singer/pianist Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid providing the band's entire repertory, their music evolved in decidedly linear fashion, the only major surprises coming from the periodic lineup changes that added a new instrumental voice to the proceedings. At their most accessible, as on "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and "Conquistador," they were one of the most popular of progressive rock bands, their singles outselling all rivals, and their most ambitious album tracks still have a strong following.

Procol Harum 's roots and origins are as convoluted as its success -- especially between 1967 and 1973 -- was pronounced. Pianist Gary Brooker (b. May 29, 1945, Southend, Essex, England) had formed a group at school called the Paramounts at age 14, with guitarist Robin Trower (b. Mar. 9, 1945, Southend, Essex) and bassist Chris Copping (b. Aug. 29, 1945 Southend, Essex), with singer Bob Scott and drummer Mick Brownlee . After achieving a certain degree of success at local youth clubs and dances, covering established rock & roll hits, Brooker took over the vocalist spot from the departed Scott , and the group continued working after its members graduated -- by 1962, they were doing formidable (by British standards) covers of American R&B, and got a residency at the Shades Club in Southend. Brownlee exited the band in early 1963 and was replaced by Barry J. (B.J.) Wilson (b. Mar.

18, 1947, Southend, Essex), who auditioned after answering an ad in Melody Maker. Nine months later, in September of 1963, bassist Chris Copping opted out of the professional musicians' corps to attend Leicester University, and he was replaced by Diz Derrick . The following month, the Paramounts demo record, consisting of covers of the Coasters ' "Poison Ivy" and Bobby Bland 's "Farther on up the Road," got them an audition at EMI. This resulted in their being signed to the Parlophone label, with their producer, Ron Richards , the recording manager best-known for his many years of work with the Hollies . The Paramounts' first single, "Poison Ivy," released in January of 1964, reached number 35 on the British charts. The group also got an important endorsement from the Rolling Stones , with whom they'd worked on the television show Thank Your Lucky Stars, who called the Paramounts their favorite British R&B band.

Unfortunately, none of the group's subsequent Parlophone singles over the next 18 months found any chart success, and by mid-'66, the Paramounts had been reduced to serving as a backing band for popsters Sandy Shaw and Chris Andrews . In September of 1966, the Paramounts went their separate ways; Derrick out of the business, Trower and Wilson to gigs with other bands, and, most fortuitously, Gary Brooker decided to develop his career as a songwriter. This led Brooker into a partnership with lyricist Keith Reid (b. Oct. 19, 1945), whom he met through a mutual acquaintance, R&B impresario Guy Stevens . By the spring of 1967, they had a considerable body of songs prepared and began looking for a band to play them. An advertisement in Melody Maker led to the formation of a band initially called the Pinewoods, with Brooker as pianist/singer, Matthew Fisher (b. Mar. 7, 1946, Croydon, Surrey) on organ, Ray Royer (b. Oct. 8, 1945) on guitar, Dave Knights (b.

June 28, 1945, London) on bass, and Bobby Harrison (b. June 28, 1943, London) on drums. Their first recording, produced by Denny Cordell , was of a piece of surreal Reid poetry called "A Whiter Shade Of Pale," which Brooker set to music loosely derived from Johann Sebastian Bach 's Air on a G String from the Suite No. 3 in D Major. By the time this recording was ready for release, the Pinewoods had been rechristened Procol Harum , a name derived, as alternate stories tell it, either from Stevens ' cat's birth certificate, Procol Harun, or the Latin "procul" for "far from these things" (hey, it was the mid-'60s, and either is possible). In early May of 1967, the group performed "A Whiter Shade of Pale" at the Speakeasy Club in London, while Cordell arranged for a release of the single on English Decca (London Records in America), on the companies' Deram label.

Ironically, Cordell 's one-time clients the Moody Blues were about to break out of a long commercial tail-spin on the very same label with a similar, classically-tinged pair of recordings, "Nights in White Satin" and "Days of Future Passed," and between the two groups and their breakthrough hits, Deram Records would be permanently characterized as a progressive rock imprint. Cordell had also sent a copy of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" to Radio London, one of England's legendary off-shore pirate radio stations (they competed with the staid BBC, which had the official broadcast monopoly, and were infinitely more beloved by the teenagers and most bands), which played the record. Not only was Radio London deluged with listener requests for more plays, but Deram suddenly found itself with orders for a record not scheduled for release for another month -- before May was half over, it was pushed up on the schedule and rushed into shops. Meanwhile, the prototypal Procol Harum made its concert debut in London opening for Jimi Hendrix at the Saville Theater on June 4, 1967.

Four days later, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" reached the top of the British charts for the first of a six-week run in the top spot, making Procol Harum only the sixth recording act in the history of British popular music to reach the number one spot on its first release (not even the Beatles did that). The following month, the record reached number five on the American charts, with sales in the United States rising to over a million copies (and six million copies worldwide). All of this seemed to bode well for the band, except for the fact that it had only a single song in its repertory and no real stage act -- literal one-hit wonders. The same month that the record peaked in the United States, Royer and Harrison were sacked and replaced by Brooker 's former Paramounts bandmates Robin Trower and B.J. Wilson on guitar and drums, respectively. The "real" Procol Harum band was now in place and a second single, "Homburg," was duly recorded.

Reminiscent of "Whiter Shade of Pale" in its tone of dark grandeur, this single, released in October of 1967 on EMI's Regal Zonophone label, got to number six on the British charts. The group's debut album, entitled Procol Harum , managed to reach number 47 in America during October of 1967, based on "A Whiter Shade of Pale" being among its tracks (which included the first version of "Conquistador") -- but a British version of the LP, issued over there without the hit, failed to attract any significant sales. The single "Homburg," however, got no higher than number 34 in America a month later. On March 26, 1968, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" won the International Song of the Year award at the 13th Annual Ivor Novello Awards (sort of the British equivalent of the Grammys). The group's newest single, "Quite Rightly So," however, only reached the number 50 spot in England in April of that year.

A new contract for the group was secured with A&M Records in America (they remained on Regal Zonophone in England), and by November, a second album, Shine on Brightly , highlighted by an 18-minute epic entitled "In Held 'Twas I," was finished and in the stores, and rose to number 24 in America but failed to chart in England. The next month, they were playing the Miami Pop Festival in front of 100,000 people, on a bill that included Chuck Berry , Canned Heat , the blues version of Fleetwood Mac , and the Turtles , among others. In March of 1969, David Knights and Matthew Fisher exited the lineup shortly after finishing work on the group's new album, A Salty Dog , preferring management and production to the performing side of the music business. Knights ' departure opened the way for bassist Chris Copping to join Procol Harum (thus re-creating the lineup of the Paramounts ), playing bass and organ. Another American tour followed the next month, and in June of 1969 A Salty Dog was issued.

This record, considered by many to be the original group's best work, combined high-energy blues and classical influences on a grand scale, and returned the band to the U.S. charts at number 32, while the title song ascended the British charts to number 44. The album subsequently reached number 27 in England, the group's first long-player to chart in their own country. Despite the group's moderate sales in England and America, they remained among the more popular progressive rock bands, capable of reaching more middle-brow listeners who didn't have the patience for Emerson, Lake & Palmer or King Crimson . Robin Trower 's flashy guitar quickly made him the star of the group, as much as singer/pianist Brooker , and he was considered in the same league with Alvin Lee and any number of late-'60s/early-'70s British blues axemen. Matthew Fisher 's stately, cathedral-like organ had been a seminal part of the band's sound, juxtaposed with Trower 's blues-based riffing and Reid 's unusual, darkly witty lyrics as voiced by Brooker .

Following Fisher 's departure, the group took on a more straightforward rock sound, but Trower 's playing remained a major attraction to the majority of fans. "Whaling Stories" was an example of quintessential Procol Harum , a mix of 19th century oratorio that sounds like it came out of a Victorian-era cathedral, with fiery blues riffs blazing at its center. And being soaked in Reid 's dark, eerie, regret-filled lyrics didn't stop "A Salty Dog" from becoming one of the group's most popular songs. It was a year before their next album, Home , was released, in June of 1970, ascending to the American number 34 and the British 49 spot. This marked the end of the group's contract with Regal Zonophone/EMI, and on the release of their next LP in July of 1971, they were now on Chrysalis in England. Broken Barricades reached number 32 in America and 41 in England, but it also marked the departure of Robin Trower .

The founding guitarist left that month and subsequently organized his own group, with a sound modeled along lines similar to Jimi Hendrix , which had great success in America throughout the 1970s. Trower 's replacement, Dave Ball (b. Mar. 30, 1950), joined the same month, and the lineup expanded by one with the addition of Alan Cartwright on bass, which freed Chris Copping to concentrate full-time on the organ. The group returned to something of the sound it had before Fisher 's departure, although Trower was a tough act to follow. It was this version of the band that performed on November 18, 1971 in a concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the DaCamera Singers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada -- the concert was a bold and expansive, richly orchestrated re-consideration of earlier material (though not "A Whiter Shade of Pale") from the group's repertory, and, released as an official live album in 1972, proved to be the group's most successful LP release, peaking at number five and drawing in thousands of new fans.

In England, Procol Harum Live: In Concert With the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra only rose to number 48 in May of 1972, but it was competing with a reissue of the group's debut album (retitled A Whiter Shade of Pale , with the single added) paired with A Salty Dog , which outperformed it considerably, reaching number 26. A single lifted from the live record, "Conquistador," redone in a rich and dramatic version, shot to number 16 in America and 22 in England that summer. Soon after, the U.S. distributor of the debut album, London Records, got further play from that record by re-releasing it with a sticker announcing the presence of "the original version of "Conquistador." Amid all of this success, the group's lineup again was thrown into turmoil in September when Dave Ball left Procol Harum to join Long John Baldry 's band. He was replaced by Mick Grabham , formerly of the bands Plastic Penny and Cochise .

The band's next album, Grand Hotel , was a delightfully melodic and decadent collection (anticipating Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music in some respects) that featured guest backing vocals by Christianne Legrand of the a cappella singing group the Swingle Singers . That record, their first released on Chrysalis in America as well as England, peaked at number 21. Six months later, A&M released the first compilation of the band's material, Best of Procol Harum , which only made it to number 131 on the charts. The group's next two albums, Exotic Birds and Fruit (May 1974) and Procol's Ninth (September 1975), the latter produced by rock & roll songsmiths Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller , performed moderately well, and "Pandora's Box" from Procol's Ninth became one of their bigger hits in England, rising to number 16. July of 1976 saw a departure and a lateral shift in the group's lineup, as Alan Cartwright left the band and Chris Copping took over on bass, while Pete Solley joined as keyboard player.

By this time, the band's string had run out, as everyone seemed to know. A new album, Something Magic , barely scraped the U.S. charts in April of 1977, and the band split up following a final tour and a farewell concert at New York's Academy of Music on May 15, 1977. Only five months later, the band was back together for a one-off performance of "A Whiter Shade of Pale," which had taken on a life of its own separate from the group -- the song was named joint winner (along with "Bohemian Rhapsody") of the Best British Pop Single 1952-1977, at the Britannia Awards to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee, and the band performed it live at the awards ceremony. Apart from Trower , Gary Brooker was the most successful and visible of all ex- Procol Harum members, releasing three solo albums between 1979 and 1985.

No More Fear of Flying (1979) on Chrysalis, produced by George Martin , attracted the most attention, but Lead Me to the Water (1982) on Mercury had some notable guest artists, including Eric Clapton and Phil Collins , while Echoes in the Night (1985) was co-produced by Brooker 's former bandmate Matthew Fisher . During the late '80s, however, Brooker had turned to writing orchestral music, principally ballet material, but this didn't stop him from turning up as a guest at one of the annual Fairport Convention reunions ( Procol Harum and Fairport had played some important early gigs together) at Cropredy, Oxfordshire, in August of 1990 to sing "A Whiter Shade of Pale." Still, Procol Harum had faded from the consciousness of the music world by the end of the 1980s. The death of B.J. Wilson in 1990 went largely unreported, to the chagrin of many fans, and it seemed as though the group was a closed book.

Then, in August of 1991, Brooker re-formed Procol Harum with Trower , Fisher , Reid , and drummer Mark Brzezicki . An album, Prodigal Stranger , was recorded and released, and an 11-city tour of North America took place in September of 1991. Although this lineup didn't last -- Trower and company, after all, were pushing 50 at the time -- Brooker has kept a new version of Procol Harum together, in the guise of himself, guitarist Geoffrey Whitehorn , keyboardman Don Snow , and Brzezicki on drums, which toured the United States in 1992. The name, Procol Harum: origins and theories The name, Procol Harum: origins and theories In its various spellings 'I think it was silly ï¿½ a silly name' Adam Dolgins in Rock Names, Pan McMillan 1993 Procol Harum: formed in London in 1967 and are most famous for the hit A Whiter Shade of Pale.

In an interview, lyricist Keith Reid, who was always listed as a full-fledged member of the group on their albums, recalls the genesis of their name: 'It's the name of a cat, a Siamese cat . It's the pedigree name, and it belonged to a friend of ours, just somebody that we used to hang out with when we were forming the band. One day, somebody pulled out the cat's birth certificate and said 'Have a look at this', and the name of the cat was Procol Harum. And somebody else, in fact a chap called Guy Stevens who was quite instrumental in Gary [Brooker, the singer and pianist] and myself getting together in the first place, said, 'Oh, you must call the group Procol Harum'. And we just accepted that. We never even questioned it, never even thought if it was a good name, we just went ahead with that suggestion. Once we put the record out, people started to say, 'Oh, it's Latin, and it means 'beyond these things'. But in fact, we had spelled it incorrectly.

It should have been P-R-U-C-U-L, I think, or P-R-U-C-O-L H-A-R-U-M. I believe that's right anyway. If we'd spelled it correctly; it would have meant beyond these things. But s seemed quite apt. That was it really. It was the suggestion of a friend and we just stuck with it.' Are you glad you chose it? 'No. I think it was silly ï¿½ a silly name. And the trouble with it is that people have a great deal of difficulty understanding what it is. One of our favourites is Broken Arm. Broken Arm, Purple Horrors ... It's very difficult for people to get the hang of.' [but read Gary Brooker's opinion ] What became of the cat ? 'The cat would now be more than twenty-five years old, so I would guess that it's no longer of this world.' And who owned this cat? 'It belonged to our dealer. We used to score off of him.' Thanks to Sam Cameron for sending this to BtP. He notes: 'no source is given for this interview and it contradicts the 'misspelt-when-heard-over-the-'phone' version of the story retailed more recently'.

Read Sam's full treatment of this feline subject . Guy Stevens was not the only svengali of the period to dole out a Latinate name to his protï¿½gï¿½s. The 'T2' section of The Times (25 October 2002) contained an item about the longevity of Status Quo, from which the following paragraph is excerpted: "Both Rossi and Parfitt seemed to feel that their lives had just sort of happened. They hadn't even known what 'Status Quo' meant when their manager suggested the name. He offered 'The Muhammad Alis', 'The Queers' or 'Status Quo' said Rossi. And it could have been worse - 'Caveat Emptor' perhaps or 'Quod Erat Demonstrandum' and who knew what 'Procul [sic] Harum' meant, anyway?" Thanks, Ken So whose cat was it? The Longest Crawl , by Ian Marchant, is a newly-published book (2006) describing a month long pub-crawl in Britain. The spelling of the band's name is that of the author.

This short extract describes a meeting with someone called Ash in Wales: In the early sixties, Ash shared a flat with the blues singer Long John Baldry. They used to go busking together up Ladbroke Grove, Baldry singing and playing guitar and Ash handing round the hat. Often, they were accompanied by a young ukulele player known as 'Long Haired Eric' (Eric Clapton) ... Ash passed his pipe and told some more of the stories. 'I had this cat called Procol Harem,' Ash told us. 'A Burmese, a sweetie she was. At this time, '66, '67, I was dealing acid to the beautiful people. Sold it to Hendrix a few times. Gary Brooker was one of my regulars. He played in a group called the Paramounts . He was always around mine. What's your cat called Ash? he asked me. Procol Harem, I said. So they changed the name of the band'. 'But Ash, that's one of the great unsolved mysteries of rock'n'roll,' said Perry. 'What is?' 'Who owned that cat that Procol Harem were named after.' 'Is it? Well it was me'...

Thanks, John Greenway, Manchester Procol Harum Singer Gary Brooker in Serious Condition After Fall Procol Harum Singer Gary Brooker in Serious Condition After Fall By Billy Dukes May 30, 2012 3:35 PM REDDIT Facebook British rockers Procol Harum have been forced to cancel the remainder of their dates in South Africa after frontman Gary Brooker injured himself. The fall came on Brooker’s 67th birthday (May 29). The band was part of the British Invasion Tour of South Africa along with the Moody Blues and 10cc. Details on how or why Brooker fell are scarce, with a promoter only telling Times Live that the singer is healing. “Our thoughts are with Gary and the band during this difficult time,” Attie Van Wyk of Big Concerts said. “We are confident that he is receiving the very best medical attention and we wish him a speedy recovery.” According to the fan website Beyond the Pale , the ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ hitmakers were scheduled to play in Cape Town on May 30 and Johannesburg on June 1. They’ll open a string of American dates on July 13 in Atlantic City, N.J.

It’s not clear if Brooker’s injury will affect other shows. Brooker founded Procol Harum pin 1966, and remained the band leader until they broke up in 1977. ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ was by far their biggest hit, reaching No. 5 in America and No. 1 in the U.K., but they also scored a lesser hit with ‘Conquistador’ in 1972. In 1991 the group reformed, and they have toured and recorded off and on since. Who is Procol Harum, asks Joan May Who is Procol Harum? Who is Procol Harum? An offshoot of The Paramounts? Some have described Procol as a slightly altered version of The Paramounts but I think this is a grave error. Physically, some members of both bands are the same, but musically the two bands are light-years apart. The Paramounts were an R&B cover band, quite an ordinary one at that, despite the fact that The Rolling Stones were fans.

Gary has said that once the original artists' versions of the tunes became available in the UK, the fans much preferred those, as well they should have, and The Paramounts were finished. Listening to their collected works , including the 1970 re-formation for the Liquorice John Death sessions , one hears little or none of the creative musicianship that Gary, Robin and BJ brought to Procol Harum. Just Gary and Keith? It was only when Gary Brooker hooked up with Keith Reid that his musical identity changed from a singer and player of R&B cover tunes to a uniquely creative artist. Gary was already an extremely talented and well-trained musician with incredible potential for greatness, and I think he and all his fans owe a debt of gratitude to his piano teacher, who didn't teach him the usual way, reading classical pieces off a sheet like a robot, but rather let him bring in the popular recordings he wanted to play and then showed him how those pieces could be transcribed on to the piano. This provided great ear-training for Gary which later served him well in creating his magnificent Procol music. ' ... Keith Reid, Guy Stevens and I decided what sort of band Procol Harum should be.

You don't ever get away from bass and drums. I was there playing piano and we wanted a Hammond to give that expansion the group missed. We also wanted bluesy guitar with this background sound ï¿½ a bit from Booker T, a bit from Bob Dylan.' Gary Brooker, Record Collector, January, 1995 It was Keith whose Dylanesque psychedelic words inspired Gary to compose some music to go with those words. But neither Gary nor Keith had thought of developing much of the classical influence in their compositions, until they met up with Matthew Fisher . Of course any definition of Procol Harum must include Gary and Keith. They are necessary but not sufficient to define the whole of Procol Harum. If they hadn't met Matthew, their music would have been an amalgam of R&B and Bob Dylan, and if they had formed a band on that basis alone, it would have sounded like ... well ... The Band , not Procol Harum.

Gary, Keith and Matthew 'When I joined after buying a Hammond organ and placing an advert in one of the music papers, Gary wanted to be Ray Charles, Keith wanted to be Bob Dylan and I wanted to be Jimmy Smith, Booker T and Bach rolled into one.' Matthew Fisher, NME, 15 September, 1973 . It was Matthew who brought in the Bach / Baroque classical influences that combined with and transformed Gary's and Keith's contributions into Procol Harum. As far as the musical compositions are concerned - ie what makes them unique as Procol pieces, that seamless fusion of rock, blues and classical ï¿½ I consider Gary, Keith and Matthew to be the musical founders of Procol Harum. Gary, Keith, Matthew, BJ and Robin But Procol isn't just about compositions, but also a glorious instrumental ensemble sound. A Whiter Shade of Pale was a perfect recording, consisting of Gary's beautiful soulful vocals, Matthew's ethereal classic Hammond , Bill Eyden 's musical drums, and unobtrusive bass and piano ( Ray Royer 's guitar was unnecessary to the piece and thankfully barely audible).

But the Procol sound expanded with subsequent compositions and the arrival of BJ Wilson and Robin Trower , whose playing was also transformed by their association with Matthew, who not only inspired Gary to further compositions in a classical / rock fusion style, but also influenced BJ to begin playing like an orchestral percussionist, and Robin to achieve that incredible wild electric 'cello sound he got on Procol's first (best) album . Matthew, BJ and Robin all adopted rock / classical fusion styles of playing that are still unique in the history of music. So Procol Harum is defined by all five men - not necessarily their physical presence (though Gary must be the singer and Keith the writer of all song words), but by the type of playing that Matthew, Robin and BJ innovated at the time of the first album, and the style of composing that Gary, Keith and Matthew created together. When Matthew left, Chris Copping maintained the organ sound as part of Procol's overall incredible ensemble sound - he didn't significantly change the band's sound as Pete Solley did with those synths . Chris also created some nice organ solos on the albums.

But the timbre of his instrument just wasn't exciting like Matthew's unique magic touch, and neither did he write any music. His solos were pleasant but not awe inspiring like Matthew's, and so the Hammond was not the huge part of the band's sound the way it was before, but still an acceptable part. When Robin left, Dave Ball did not continue Robin's classically-tinged style (actually Robin didn't either during the latter part of his Procol tenure), but was mainly a blues player, a competent and tasteful one who didn't really hurt the band but didn't add anything dramatically creative either - hence, probably, his ouster and replacement by Mick Grabham , who very beautifully continued in Robin's early classical / blues / rock tradition. BJ was the instrumental mainstay of the band in its first ten years, and I think he was a large part of the reason that the Procol sound could endure so many personnel changes.

I used to think Procol could never really reunite without BJ, but have come to modify that opinion after hearing Graham Broad 's excellent work at Redhill (he had a chance to play with Mick which I think helped inspire him and the others to greater heights than any of their other 90s concerts). BJ's musical legacy, like Matthew's and Robin's, can be studied and emulated by a competent replacement, and the Procol sound can continue, albeit never quite as magnificently as the original band of the first album ï¿½ the founding band. By the above criteria, with the possible exception of some of the Redhill concert, Procol hasn't really reunited yet in the 90s. 'It's such a long time ago! I think it worked very, very well. I mean, I really do think ... what we did was a great combination of musicians, there's no doubt about it.

And I don't think there are many groups of musicians that could put together that much individual talent into a band that really works, you know, and I think it really did work.' Robin Trower, 1991, Prodigal Stranger radio promo , talking, not about that album, but about the original ï¿½ the true ï¿½ Procol Harum. Procol Harum song royalties ruling to open floodgates | Daily Mail Online Finally: Matthew Fisher has won a long-fought court battle for a share of the royalties for A Whiter Shade Of Pale It is one of the most recognisable song introductions of all time. But for the man who wrote the first haunting notes of A Whiter Shade of Pale, hearing the organ solo has brought only a twinge of bitterness. But now, 42 years after the record became one of the biggest hits in pop history, Matthew Fisher can enjoy his own music having finally won a share of the royalties he has always maintained was his. The victory marks the end of a four-year battle between Mr Fisher, who now works as a computer programmer, and the lead singer of the rock band Procol Harum, Gary Brooker.

Mr Brooker owned the copyright to A Whiter Shade of Pale, for which Mr Fisher wrote the distinctive introduction and some of the keyboard melody. In 2006, the organist successfully claimed 40 per cent of the royalties from the tune after winning a claim in the High Court. But two years later Mr Brooker was successful at the Court of Appeal where three judges said that Mr Fisher, despite being a co-author, had no right to royalties because he had stayed silent for more than 40 years before making his claim. Mr Fisher had sued on the basis that the Procol Harum’s frontman had been ‘unjustly enriched’ at his expense. The organist left the band in 1969 and his case is that he always believed he had a claim and suggested to Mr Brooker after the song’s release that he should be acknowledged as a co-writer. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Mr Brooker said he has no recollection of any such conversation. But yesterday five Law Lords unanimously reinstated the High Court decision, ruling that Mr Brooker had in fact benefited financially from the delay. In court, no one disputed that Mr Brooker wrote the music for A Whiter Shade of Pale.

But the organ solo that Mr Fisher composed, with inspiration from Bach’s Air on a G String, was said to have been a crucial element to the success of the song. Procol Harum: Matthew Fisher, second from left, with bandmates, including Gary Brooker, far right Lord Hope said: ‘A person who has a good idea... that did so much to make the song in its final form such a success, is entitled to protect the advantage that he has gained from this and to earn his reward.’ In his part of the ruling, Lord Neuberger said Fisher had repeatedly asked for a share in the rights to the record but was ‘rebuffed or ignored’ by Mr Brooker and Mr Reid. Lawyers said the ruling from the House of Lords could bring chaos to the music industry, as musicians who performed on successful recordings line up to bring claims against major artists for their contributions, regardless of past contracts. As co-author, Mr Fisher is entitled to damages over the exploitation of the song, but will only receive future royalties from the record. Royalties currently go to Mr Brooker, who wrote the music, and lyricist and manager Keith Reid. The single was number one in the UK for five weeks.

It has sold ten million copies worldwide. Lyrics for "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" by Procol Harum We skipped the light fandango Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kinda seasick But the crowd called out for more The room was humming harder As the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink The waiter brought a tray And so it was that later As the miller told his tale That her face, at first just ghostly, Turned a whiter shade of pale She said, 'There is no reason And the truth is plain to see.' But I wandered through my playing cards And would not let her be One of sixteen vestal virgins Who were leaving for the coast And although my eyes were open They might have just as well've been closed And so it was that later As the miller told his tale That her face, at first just ghostly, Turned a whiter shade of pale And so it was that laterWriter/s: GARY BROOKER, KEITH REID, MATTHEW FISHER Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, T.R.O. INC.

Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind Procol Harum singer prevails in 'Pale' royalty fight - USATODAY.com Procol Harum singer prevails in 'Pale' royalty fight Posted E-mail | Print | By D'arcy Doran, Associated Press LONDON  The lead singer of the British band Procol Harum won an appeals court judgment Friday awarding him the full royalties to the iconic hit, A Whiter Shade of Pale. Britain's Court of Appeal ruling for rock star Gary Brooker overturned a lower court decision granting the group's former organist 40% of the millions of dollars in royalties from the song. The appeals court agreed Matthew Fisher, who played the haunting organ theme, was entitled to co-authorship but said he will receive no money from past or future royalties. "For nearly three years this claim has been a great strain upon myself and my family. I believe the original trial was unfair and the results wrong," Brooker said.

"I would hope that now, we can all get on with our lives." Lord Justice John Mummery said Fisher was "guilty of excessive and inexcusable delay in asserting his claim." Fisher, who quit the band in 1969 and is now a computer programmer in London, filed his claim to joint ownership nearly 40 years after the song was recorded and became one of the anthems of the 1967 "Summer of Love." The record has sold 10 million copies, and Rolling Stone magazine has ranked the song 57th on a list of the 500 greatest of all time. Brooker argued that it was his idea to use the theme based on Bach's Air on the G String that Fisher played on the track, and that he was unable to make his case properly because Fisher did not tell him he was pursuing his legal claim. Brooker, who still tours with the band, said he and lyricist Keith Reid wrote the song before Fisher joined the band in March 1967. The two had called Fisher's earlier court victory a dangerous precedent, saying it meant any musician who had played on any recording in the past four decades could claim joint authorship.

The judge rejected Fisher's claim for an estimated $2 million in back royalties. Mummery said the issue of who will pay legal costs will be decided later, as well as whether Fisher can appeal the decision to the House of Lords, Britain's highest court. In December, a judge awarded the classically trained Fisher a 40% share in the copyright of the song, saying his organ solo was "a distinctive and significant contribution to the overall composition." A Whiter Shade of Pale, famous for its cryptic lyrics — "We skipped the light fandango, turned cartwheels 'cross the floor" — topped the British charts for five weeks in 1967 and was a top five hit in the U.S. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Posted Our £2m Procol Haven: Whiter Shade Of Pale writer sells house he bought for £27k in 1971 | Daily Mail Online Our £2m Procol Haven: Whiter Shade Of Pale writer sells house he bought for £27k in 1971 comments The Procol Harum classic A Whiter Shade Of Pale was the iconic single of the Summer of Love and has since been broadcast more than any other record. It has earned millions in royalties for Gary Brooker, who wrote the tune, and poet Keith Reid, who penned the lyrics - possibly loaded with literary references to Chaucer and Milton, or possibly just about a one-night stand. But back in 1967 when it was released, neither of them made much money from it. Lead singer Gary, who formed Procol Harum - which means 'of these far-off things' in Latin but was possibly the misspelling of the name of a friend's cat - was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's Air On The G String when he came up with the tune.

House music: Wintershall, home for 40 years to Gary Brooker, writer of A Whiter Shade Of Pale, is on the market for £2million He was 23 and living with his mum Violet near Southend in Essex at the time. To his amazement, the song spent six weeks at No1. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Four years later, when Gary and his Swiss wife Franky decided to start househunting, they faced the same problems as all first-time buyers: they had to convince their bank manager to give them a mortgage. 'When the song was released, Radio One hadn't even started and there were only pirate stations, which didn't pay performing rights fees. It's not like today when bands get rich overnight,' says Gary, now 66.

Pop success: Gary Brooker (front, left) was the lead singer of pop group, Procol Harum who had huge success thanks to the song he penned 'We had about £1,500 to put down on a house, but I had a stroke of luck because the bank manager had been to the same school as me in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, so we managed to get a mortgage.' After scouring the Home Counties for a house with an outbuilding Gary could convert to a studio, the couple paid £27,000 for Wintershall, a 16th Century cottage set in 25 acres in Dunsfold, part of what has become a millionaires' enclave in the Surrey hills, near Godalming. After 40 years in the same house, the couple are now selling up. 'We'd looked everywhere from Kent to Oxfordshire, but this was in such a beautiful location and the barn was perfect for a studio,' says Franky.

While the average UK house that sold for £27,000 in 1971 is now worth £433,000 (according to Nationwide), Gary and Franky are asking £2million for their five-bedroom, Grade II-listed house, which has four reception rooms, an indoor pool and magnificent gardens including a lake. Chart topper: Gary Brooker's tune spent six weeks at No.1 but he had just £1,500 to put down on a house Over the years, the couple - who have just celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary - have added a two-storey extension, an indoor pool and converted the barn into a recording studio. But this is not a rock star's gaudy palace. The decor is muted, the furnishings are homely and the only hint that a musician lives here is the small piano in the living room - though there is a grand piano and a mixing desk in the barn.

The asking price for the house is a snip compared with that of neighbours Anthea Turner and her husband Grant Bovey, the failed buy-to-let property mogul, who sold their home, Barbins Grange, a mile away, for £10million two years ago. 'When we moved here this area wasn't expensive at all,' says Franky, who met Gary at a party in 1965 when she was working as an au pair. 'It's only in the past 25 years that prices have shot up, when the M25 opened and the A3 was extended.' Today, the area is a favourite with musicians, celebrities and Russian oligarchs. But Gary and Franky's is hardly the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. 'A good wife keeps one out of trouble,' says Gary, who has avoided the drink and drugs that have plagued many of his peers. Both are keen gardeners, and their efforts have won them numerous prizes at the Dunsfold Horticultural Show. Gary, who is a past winner of the European Open Fly Fishing Championship, fishes for sea trout in the tributary of the River Arun, which flows through their gardens, and shoots game in nearby woods.

In 2009, Gary's fortunes took a blow when Matthew Fisher, who composed the organ tunes on A Whiter Shade of Pale, won a Law Lords ruling entitling him to 40 per cent of Gary's royalties from the song. I wanted to move to the seaside but all our friends are round here, so we're going to look a bit nearer to Guildford Although Fisher, who was paid £75 for his efforts in 1967, had asked the cash to be backdated, the Lords ruled that he should get only future royalties. Gary will not comment on the case but says it is not the reason for the house sale. 'It's just too big,' says Franky, 62. 'We want to buy somewhere nearby that we can lock up and leave, and spend more time at our house in the Lot [in south-west France] which we bought eight years ago.' The couple have decided to stay nearby. 'I wanted to move to the seaside but all our friends are round here, so we're going to look a bit nearer to Guildford,' says Gary.

Gary has also had a successful solo career and worked with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings and appeared alongside Madonna in the film Evita. Although A Whiter Shade Of Pale was rereleased in 1972 and the band made 13 studio albums, they never repeated the chart success of 1967. One big problem the couple face when the house is sold is packing everything up. 'We've spent 40 years collecting so much stuff that we'll probably spend 40 years trying to get rid of it,' says Franky. As well as Gary's collection of lighters - he's a pipe smoker - he collects vintage fishing rods and is a model-railway enthusiast. The big clear-out could be quite profitable. 'I've got a lot of old sound-effects equipment, which I've just discovered is becoming quite valuable so I'll probably put a lot of it on eBay,' says Gary. Hamptons, +44 (0)1483 572864

Question: Who is the lead singer with Procol Harum?
Answer: GARY BROOKER